OBAMA AIRPORT?

There is currently considerable speculation about whether, or when, a major US airport might be named after President Obama.

Chicago's Midway Airport (MDW) has been suggested as a possible candidate for renaming as Obama Airport. Named for the famous WWII Battle of Midway, the airport is located in Barack & Michelle Obama's adopted hometown, Chicago.

During the 1950's, Midway Airport was the busiest airport in the USA, but traffic was greatly reduced after Chicago O'Hare Airport was built. Midway Airport now serves as a secondary airport for the Chicago area, with mostly regional & commuter air traffic.

There are also a number of Internet references to the idea of renaming O'Hare International Airport to "Barack Obama International Airport", but Midway Airport currently seems a more likely prospect.

Honolulu International Airport, in Hawaii, has also been mentioned in various Internet blogs as a possible for renaming "Barack H. Obama International Airport". As his state of birth, Hawaii might seem an appropriate host for an airport named for President Obama.

In 2012, Las Vegas McCarran Airport became involved in a controversy over the name of the airport. Some commentators in the area objected to having the former legislator's name on the airport, referring to policies that he supported during his term in office. A suggestion was made that the airport be renamed "Barack Obama Airport".

As President Barack Obama has little or no historical connection with the city of Las Vegas, or the state of Nevada, such a name change seems unlikely.

With President Obama's wide popularity outside the United States, it is not inconceivable that an airport may eventually be named for him in a foreign country. His father was from Kenya, and in 2008, a veritable frenzy of excitement erupted over the US presidential election.

In 2008, local politicians in western Kenya proposed refurbishing and renaming Kisumu Regional Airport as "Obama Airport". President Obama's father was born in a nearby village, This idea was apparently never brought to fruition, perhaps due to lack of funds for the necessary construction work.

Now that President Obama has left office, it appears more likely than ever that there will eventually be a major airport named: Barack Hussein Obama Airport. The question remains: Where?

Survey

On April 25, 2014, former White House Chief of Staff and now-mayor Rahm Emmanuel announced that a new Chicago high school would be named for President Obama. The new $60 million school, scheduled to open in 2017 (after the President leaves office) will be named Barack Obama College Preparatory High School.

With long time friend and confidante Rahm Emmanuel already naming facilities for the President, perhaps that is one more reason for Chicago O'Hare Airport to be the likely candidate for an eventual airport bearing the Obama name?

Move On Petition

On January 27, 2017, a petition was started by Nathan Empsall on the website "Move On", requesting the naming of an airport for President Obama. The text of the petition reads:

Please rename either O'Hare International Airport or Midway International Airport as the new "Barack Obama International Airport".